The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-08-21
BEHIND TIE EASTERN TEEL.
Persian Women-What They DO and How
They Do II, at Home and Abroad.
IRON. the 81. Jamss's Gdsett>.

Eastern women arc pitied as unhappy
beings on the theory that they are imprisoned
IN gilded cage closely guarded by very ugly
eunuchs. and reduced to spend their time III
attempting to catch the smiles OF jealous
siken cushions. Their only other occupation
is understood to be devouring immense Iunn-
lent; their only amusement tho pleasure OF
poisoning rival wives. and hearing intermina-
bic stories Of tho Arabian Nights pattern.
fat. It is not so, however. with the Persian;
he has the. appreciation of connoiSseur tor
spoken Of as an elephant" while the leaner
ones arc generally called "camels;" Though
they deal largely In hyperbole. the Persians do
not mince matters In speaking OF the fair sex:
The veil, which is hnbitualiy worn out of
doors even by tho very poor in all srcat towns
the tribes who form ut least third OF tho
whole population. ia chung to by the women as
WOMAN out Of d doors IS anrecognizabIe even by
her husband. She sees WITHOUT being seen,
and in the veil it is impossible to detect the
nearly always married at Il. she begins to fade
at 81 Mt latest, ut 30 she appears 90. and there
PolyEainy is the luxury OF the rich; with the
upper and middle classes bigamy is the rule.
nuns first alliance is n marriage ds conuen-
ance. the second either u marri;tSe for love or
for the Gr;ttiiicati ion OF vanity. when your
Persian brings home second vile there Is
there is II struggle for supremacy. but II is
soon over both wives do their best to please
tempt to poison each other unless in very sx-
ceptIonal circumstances. But Persian ladies
still believe in the efficacy OF love pnilter-. and
tered to unfortunate husbands. Happiiy, the
love philter though usually composed OF hor-
ribe ingredients. is quite harmless.
The bath takes up u good deal OF the time OF
all Persian women. Even the poorest will at
tend the HanmaIn at least once week For
of life. and takes up daily IRON two to lonr
hours OF her time. i is something more than
rubbed and parboiled. Tho soles Of tho feet
nre pumiced until HEY IRE sqit and lender ~
those Of little child n Ihs mar d is th t
naceous clay Ior which SnlraZ is celebrated.
Then the attendants min in u braZen bowl tho
lemon Juice, till Ia brown paste OF The, consis-
tency Of Cruel is produced, and several hand
l ssea %t over r9 the ays sad Then the hr
Ssyss Snail GaantihS Of ihs dye ",s
Hands s'G and the nscr-tips are also Soyersi
with it. And now tho lady has to sit per! .,'tiy
still Tor from ono 10 thee nour, iilI, iine q
mecrschaum pipe, she coiorS: ami IL IT. exactly
the color obtained on the hest Hp"rimenI %
pipes that is most fashionable AMONG Inc Per,
sian ladies. Day after day the bnth Ii lhronced
with women. each sittin.; perfectly stiIi Tor tn
for the henna dyes the Ealr Al beautiful deep
warm chestnut; hence hence gray Hnir + umknown
aoas rsr1 Lean G ds On Te t9 ba r%9 a
excnanscd. Inc female barber. With, IA pair Of
from the region OF tho ladys eyebrows, L. is
tho ambition OF every Persi,ln woman tint her
SO. So ATTRACTIVE are eyebrows that niece that
they aro called tho bridge Of love. The
first care. then, Of the Persian beauty, Is
with a ii;tlc pencil of antimonY 20 u:nte her
eyebrows. nnd tAun she proceeds To make
them appear OF unnatural th:c!tness; nor
eyeIashos arc nonc!ed, too. in = manner not
cONntryNCrlSn,
time the lady Will have smoked many kAllauo
or water pipss sn9 VII ha Moip ar It o! tea
too, will not have been waiting. Her ilngcr
tips. nails and palms Ms well ~? tho soles Df
chestnut hue wliicn will last Al weeS. The, hair
IL carefully washed once more. 1t is seldom
nndGr YARD long, often much @l more; Tor 20
front. perhaps. when two heGvy lovc-lncks are
left on either sidso the face. The ladies now
ter breakfast there Is generally u s!Asta. and
t.is in "A hot country Is almost Il necessity
About tea and pipes appear; and then lhn
does liitlo shopping, or takes the air mounted
on hor ambiing muio or donkey OF snowy
The psrsians are a very punctilious race:
and II Is the sensible custom OF the country.
points Of nunctiIlo have to be observed: u GER
tain mum Dor OF cups OF ten nr9 de r'gnetn, three
IrJm each, tho rank and precedence OF every
guest is vigorously observed, and each visitor
intriEues Tor and generally receives n lit
ue more than her dae; ~. omit e. return
visit is an objectionable oN'ncS, The partic-
uiur place in lhu apartment al cnch guest IL
regulated TO nicely, nnO many and bitter arc
the Ieuds on this subject.
Tue Persian lady is u good housewife. She
rlsoS with tho dawn, She is liberal in her house,
Keeping. kind to her S1ryantS--a ittlo prDlusc.
pSrhnps, but then living Is cheap in the East:
Tho knys OF nverythinL; are IN tho keeping OF
the mistress OF tho house, and she ~ usually
exact In her accounts. Al tho vast Stock Of
COnSHrvcs and sweotnIeats, syrups Tor tho
preparation Of shcrbets, and pickles In endless
variety are either prepared by her own nngars
or under her eyes. Nor does she diSdain To be q
confectioner and maker OF pastry Az even
inG approaches-thel long and elaborate Persian
dinner beng parAkon o. among tho upper
classes ny the sexes apart-shc prepares 10 on
terrain her husband: She viii plHyto him upon
the lute or harmoni'g: she will sing 10 him, or
read him IN sleep wi,!l poetry; or sha Will play
with him at backgammon or chess or recite 10
him long stories In tho style Of The Arabian
Nights" Whom h. Is sick abe nurses him. and
1t Is her pride TO SEQ that his wardrobe Is well
supplied and his servants well clad She will
intrigue for blm. plead for him, lie for him. and
has been known TO die for him. She Will even
carry her eomplaisance solar as to find another
vile for him.
.s-s.. rs4 AL f.l.as -.ia1 A. d. ~. 81 u.